Fragaria plant named ‘SRV36’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct short day Mediterranean cultivar of strawberry plant named ‘SRV36’ that is characterized by its semi-upright, compact and moderately dense growth habit, its conical shaped berries that are uniformly large to medium in size, its berries with very firm skin and moderately juicy, firm flesh, its berries that are moderately to highly glossy and bright red in color, its vigorous growth with substantial fruit yield, its short day fruiting habit with early season production, its excellent tolerance to fruit skin damage caused by bruising, its slight to moderate petiole pubescence, and its tolerance to Botryotinia cinerea and slight susceptibility to Podosphaera leucotricha (powdery mildew).

Botanical classification: Fragaria x ananassa.

Variety denomination: ‘SRV36’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofFragaria, botanically known as Fragaria x ananassa ‘SRV36’, and will bereferred to hereafter by its cultivar name, ‘SRV36’. ‘SRV36’ is aMediterranean short day strawberry primarily adapted to the climate andgrowing conditions of the Mediterranean and other regions of similarclimate and day length.

The new cultivar was derived from an ongoing breeding program conductedby the Inventor at a farm in Cartaya, Huelva, Spain. ‘SRV36’ arose froma controlled cross made by the Inventor in 2012 between an unnamedselection from the Inventor's breeding program, designated as accessionnumber SSD 02 as the female parent and an unnamed selection from theInventor's breeding program, designated as accession number S06WL48 asthe male parent. ‘SRV36’ was selected as a single unique plant in springof 2013 from amongst the seedlings that resulted from the above cross.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar was first accomplished byrooting of stolons by the Inventor in Faversham, Kent, United Kingdom in2013. Asexual propagation by rooting of stolons and tissue culture hasshown that the unique characteristics of the new cultivar are stable andreproduced true to type in successive generations.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent thecharacteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes in combinationdistinguish ‘SRV36’ as a new and unique cultivar of Fragaria.

-   1. ‘SRV36’ exhibits a semi-upright growth habit.-   2. ‘SRV36’ exhibits conical shaped berries that are uniformly large    in size.-   3. ‘SRV36’ exhibits berries with very firm skin and firm flesh.-   4. ‘SRV36’ produces berries that contain high sugars, low acid    levels and have mild-pleasant flavor.-   5. ‘SRV36’ exhibits berries that are glossy and red in color with    color retained throughout production.-   6. ‘SRV36’ exhibits vigorous growth with substantial early fruit    yields of marketable quality that is early medium in season.-   7. ‘SRV36’ exhibits tolerance to Botryotinia cinerea and slight    susceptibility to Podosphaera leucotricha (powdery mildew).

‘SSD 02’, the female parent of ‘SRV36’, differs from ‘SRV36’ in havingberries that are not conical in shape, higher in acidity, and slightlydarker red in color. ‘S06WL48’, the male parent of ‘SRV36’, differs from‘SRV36’, in producing a moderate yield of smaller berries withoutstanding flavor, soft skin and complex trusses. ‘SRV36’ can be mostclosely compared to the cultivar ‘Viva Patricia’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No.22,717) with the following comparison characteristics observed undergrowing conditions in Spain. ‘SRV36’ produces comparable size fruit to‘Viva Patricia’ and has a fruit shape that is less elongated than thatof ‘Viva Patricia’, however ‘SRV36’ is more even in shape and has aconsiderably higher percentage of class 1 fruit. The fruit skin of‘SRV36’ is similar in firmness to that of ‘Viva Patricia’, but the fleshis significantly firmer. ‘SRV36’ has a shorter flower truss length thanthat of ‘Viva Patricia’, and a mostly re-curved calyx position relativeto the fruit. Furthermore, the fruit of ‘SRV36’ has a better shelf lifeand is less prone to infections by botrytis (Botryotinia cinerea) thanthat of ‘Viva Patricia’.

‘SRV36’ plants exhibit a similarly vigorous growth habit to that of‘Viva Patricia’, however when it is grown in Spain, the plant size of‘SRV36’ is slightly smaller and not as dense as ‘Viva Patricia’. Theleaf size of ‘SRV36’ is medium, but significantly smaller than that of‘Viva Patricia’.

The petiole and petiolule lengths of ‘SRV36’ are slightly shorter thanthat of ‘Viva Patricia’. Slight to moderate pubescence is present on‘SRV36’ particularly at the base of the petiole and close to thestipules resulting in a similar density of pubescence to that of ‘VivaPatricia’.

The leaflets of ‘SRV36’ typically possess an oblique and rounded baseand rounded tip and the leaflets are generally asymmetrical. Theleaflets of ‘SRV36’ express a distinctive architecture wherein thedistance from the petiolule to the first serration is moderately longeron one side compared to the other. The leaf serrations are crenate.Plants of ‘SRV36’ possess a significantly higher number of serrationsper leaf than that of ‘Viva Patricia’. The most outstanding differencebetween the two varieties is expressed in the plant architecture; theplant habit of ‘SRV36’ is semi-upright and compact with mostly concaveleaves, whereas the plant habit of ‘Viva Patricia’ is more spreadingwith the majority of leaves being flat to slightly concave. Manyleaflets of ‘SRV36’ exhibit very weak or no puckering/blistering,similar to that of ‘Viva Patricia’.

‘SRV36’ flower trusses tend to grow mostly above foliage, however asmall percentage of trusses can be found within the leaf canopy, whereasthe flowers trusses of ‘Viva Patricia’ are mainly even with the leafcanopy. All fruit trusses, when loaded with fruit, tend to protrude tothe sides of the plant between the leaves rather than expressing atotally upward direction. The presence of a bract can be seen on almostall flower trusses and are small to medium in size.

The primary flowers of ‘SRV36’ are slightly smaller than those of ‘VivaPatricia’. The flowers of ‘SRV36’ have fewer petals than those of ‘VivaPatricia’. The calyx diameter of ‘SRV36’ is moderately smaller than thatof ‘Viva Patricia’. The calyxes of ‘SRV36’ are typically re-curvingexpressing a very narrow fruit neck at the top of the berry.

The glossiness of the berries of ‘SRV36’ are moderately high, theberries are medium to large in size with a shape that is predominantlyconical. When grown in Spain, the fruit of ‘SRV36’ has an even, uniformshape without any white band around the neck, a feature that isprominent in the fruit of ‘Viva Patricia’, particularly in the earlypart of the season.

‘SRV36’ berries are slightly paler red than those of ‘Viva Patricia’.During the cropping season, the fruit of ‘SRV36’ retains its bright redcolor and appears to be unaffected by the higher seasonal temperatures.

The achenes of ‘SRV36’ berries are characterized as being generallylevel with the surface of the fruit or slightly raised, compared to‘Viva Patricia’ that features achenes that are generally even toslightly indented into the surface of the fruit. ‘SRV36’ berriesgenerally contain slightly more achenes than those of ‘Viva Patricia’.

The berries of ‘SRV36’ are noticeably firmer than those of ‘VivaPatricia’ throughout the cropping season with moderately high sugar andlow acid levels. The berry skin of ‘SRV36’ is firmer than that of ‘VivaPatricia’ and resists bruising better during handling than the latter.The fruit flesh of ‘SRV36’ is firmer than that of ‘Viva Patricia’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceand distinct characteristics of the new cultivar. The photographs weretaken of five month-old plants of ‘SRV36’ as grown outdoors in trialfields under polyethylene tunnels in Cartaya, Huelva, Spain.

FIG. 1 provides a view of the compact moderately dense plant habit of‘SRV36’ and fruit in various stages of development.

FIG. 2 provides a close-up view of the berry flesh and skin of ‘SRV36’.

FIG. 3 provides a close-up view of the flowers of ‘SRV36’.

FIG. 4 provides a close-up view of a whole plant and fruit of ‘SRV36’ inmid-season.

The photographs depict color features as true as is reasonably possiblewith the digital photography methods used and the color values cited inthe detailed botanical description accurately describe the new cultivar‘SRV36’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of five month-old plants of‘SRV36’ as grown in trial fields with tunnels and polyethylene covers inCartaya, Huelva, Spain. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary withvariations in environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, as ithas not been tested under all possible environmental conditions. Thecolor determination is in accordance with The 1995 R.H.S. Colour Chartof The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, except wheregeneral color terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   General description:    -   -   Blooming period.—Early-January through Mid-May in Cartaya,            Huelva, Spain.        -   Plant type.—Herbaceous fruit producing perennial.        -   Plant habit.—Semi-upright, compact with medium dense canopy.        -   Height and spread.—Medium-large; reaches an average of 20 cm            in height and 37 cm in width.        -   Cold hardiness.—Not tested in areas where temperatures of            32° F. occur.        -   Diseases.—Tolerance to Botryotinia cinerea and slight            susceptibility to Podosphaera leucotricha (powdery mildew).        -   Root description.—Fibrous, white in color.        -   Root development.—An average of 2 weeks to initiate roots            and 5 weeks to produce a young rooted plant.        -   Propagation.—Rooting of stolons and tissue culture.        -   Growth rate.—Vigorous.        -   Stem description.—Acaulescent, average of 4 crowns as a            5-month-old plant.        -   Stolon description.—Produced throughout the cropping season;            145A in color; surface pubescence is medium.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Leaf division.—Three leaflets.        -   Leaf arrangement.—Basal.        -   Leaf attachment.—Petiolate.        -   Leaflet shape.—Rounded.        -   Mid-tier leaflet size.—Average of 6.9 cm in length and 6.8            cm in width.        -   Leaflet margins.—Crenate, an average of 34.9 serrations per            leaf.        -   Leaflet base.—Asymmetrically oblique and rounded.        -   Leaflet apex.—Round.        -   Leaflet glossiness.—Upper surface medium, lower surface            dull.        -   Leaflet aspect.—Most leaflets are slightly concave and            overlapping.        -   Leaflet interveinal blistering.—Very weak.        -   Leaflet venation.—Pinnate, coloration matches leaflet color.        -   Leaflet surface.—Upper surface glabrous, lower surface very            slightly pubescent, particularly along the vein, with very            weak blistering depending on leaf age.        -   Leaflet color.—Upper surface 139A, lower surface 139C, no            variegation present on either surface.        -   Petiole.—Round in shape, average of 14.3 cm in length and            0.4 cm in width, moderate to heavy pubescent surface            (particularly heavy near base), up to 1 mm in length, 145A            in color.        -   Petiolules.—Round in shape, average of 0.6 cm in length and            0.3 cm in width, moderately pubescent surface, 145A in            color.        -   Stipule.—Average of 3.65 cm in length and 1.18 cm in width,            moderate to strong anthocyanin 60A in color.-   Flower description:    -   -   Inflorescence.—Truss.        -   Inflorescence size.—Medium to long in length, average of            26.1 cm.        -   Flower initiation and expression conditions.—Temperature and            day-length dependent.        -   Time of flowering (50% of plants at first flower).—Early to            mid-season.        -   Flower position relative to foliage.—Mostly above foliage            with a few within the leaf canopy.        -   Flower size.—Average of 3.2 cm in diameter and 1.5 cm in            height.        -   Flower fragrance.—Medium.        -   Calyx.—Average of 3.92 cm in diameter, larger than the            corolla, mostly upwards, re-curved relative to fruit.        -   Sepals.—Average of 10.5, oblong to oblanceolate, 139A on            upper surface, 139B on lower surface, obtuse base, acute            apex, entire margin, almost no pubescence on upper surface            and light pubescence on lower surface.        -   Sepal position.—Mixed arrangement relative to the fruit,            most re-curving and some horizontal with fruit shoulder,            however not touching the fruit.        -   Petals.—5-6 in number, average of 1.5 cm in length and 1.55            cm in width, rounded in shape, obtuse base and apex,            overlapping, entire margins, upper and lower surface            glabrous and 155C in color.        -   Peduncle.—145A in color, moderately pubescent surface,            medium in strength, an average of 5 cm in length and 2.5 mm            in width.        -   Pedicel.—145A in color, moderately pubescent surface, strong            in strength, an average of 12 cm in length and 2 mm in            width.        -   Bracts.—Observed on approximately 95% of the flower trusses            from early developmental stage, which progresses into a            small-medium single leaflet as the truss matures and fruit            develops with characteristics similar to leaflets.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Gynoecium.—Pistils; average of 140, average of 0.13 cm in            length, steeply dome shaped, multiple simple pistils            present, stigma; capitate shaped, 0.05 cm in length, style;            average of 0.15 cm in length.        -   Androecium.—Stamens; average of 20, average of 2.3 mm in            length, shape is a cone-like tube and wider at the base,            anther; oval in shape, average of 1.7 mm in length, pollen;            moderate in quantity and 7A in color.-   Fruit description:    -   -   Shape.—Predominantly conical, shape is similar for primary,            secondary and tertiary fruit.        -   Season of harvest.—End-January through Mid-May in Cartaya,            Huelva, Spain.        -   Time of ripening (50% of plants with first ripe            fruit).—Early.        -   Type of bearing.—Short day, Mediterranean.        -   Size.—Medium to large; an average of 5.46 cm in length and            4.26 cm in width.        -   Surface.—Smooth and medium to highly glossy.        -   Calyx position.—Even to very slightly lifted and mostly            re-curved.        -   Attitude of calyx segments.—Mostly re-curved, very few            touching the fruit shoulder, very strong adherence to the            fruit.        -   Diameter of calyx relative to fruit diameter.—Significantly            larger, later in season size is similar to fruit diameter.        -   Glossiness.—Even and medium-high.        -   External color (skin).—44A, color is retained throughout the            cropping season and holds up well to high seasonal            temperatures.        -   Internal color (flesh).—Near skin; 43A, near center; 36B.        -   Evenness of color of skin.—Very even.        -   Evenness of color of flesh.—Even, slightly paler near            center.        -   Acidity.—Low.        -   Sweetness.—High.        -   Soluble solids.—8.7.        -   Firmness.—Skin is very firm (resistant to bruising), flesh            is firm.        -   Juiciness.—Moderate.        -   Brix.—An average of 8.726° (average over 3 years of            testing).        -   Aroma.—Slight.        -   Weight.—Average of 29.4 g per berry and 487 g per plant to            end of March over three seasons in trials.        -   Number of fruit per plant.—Average 15 to end of March over            three seasons in trials.        -   Hollow center.—Slight on primary fruit, weak or not present            on secondary and tertiary fruit.        -   Shelf life.—An average of 8 to 10 days.        -   Achene color.—Yellow group 7A.        -   Achene position.—Even, level with the surface or slightly            raised later in the season.        -   Achene number.—An average of 236 per berry.        -   Band without achenes.—Very narrow to none.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Fragaria plant named ‘SRV36’ as herein illustrated and described. 